ans are buying into the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Drake.

Meet co-director Brian Brown said ticket sales for Wednesday's first-day session were 8,841 - an increase of more than 2,300 over last year's Day 1 total in Sacramento, Calif. Friday's ticket sales were 9,618, compared to 6,617 last year.

Rain and flooding in Iowa may have kept some fans from reaching the stands, which appeared to be only half-full.

"We've already had some things to overcome," Brown said.